Matthew Hayden has been appointed batting coach of Gujarat Titans ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 season, replacing Parthiv Patel in the role.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has been appointed as the batting coach of Gujarat Titans ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season. The franchise confirmed the development on Tuesday as they continue to strengthen their coaching group before the new campaign.
Hayden replaces former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel in the role. Patel, however, will remain with the franchise and continue serving as the assistant coach as Gujarat Titans prepare for their fourth season in the tournament.
This marks Hayden’s first major coaching role in the IPL. After retiring from international cricket, the Australian legend had previously been associated with the league as a broadcaster.
Hayden’s IPL and International Experience
During his playing career, Hayden represented Chennai Super Kings in the IPL between 2008 and 2010. In those three seasons, he scored 1107 runs in 32 matches and was part of the team that lifted its maiden IPL trophy in 2010.
The left-handed opener also enjoyed a highly successful international career with the Australia national cricket team. Across formats, he played 273 international matches and scored more than 15,000 runs, while also being part of several ICC title-winning squads.
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After retirement, Hayden also gained coaching experience with the Pakistan national cricket team during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. He later mentored the side that reached the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.
Franchise Leadership Welcomes the Appointment
Gujarat Titans’ Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki said the franchise believes Hayden’s experience will play a key role in developing the team’s batting approach.
“Matthew’s appointment comes at a pivotal phase in our journey. As a franchise committed to excellence and long-term success, we are constantly focused on strengthening our cricketing ecosystem,” GT director of cricket Vikram Solanki said.
“His experience at the highest level, coupled with his ability to mentor emerging talent, will be instrumental in shaping our batting identity for the seasons ahead,” he added.
The Titans finished fourth in the 2025 IPL season and were knocked out by Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator.
Speaking about joining the franchise, Hayden shared his philosophy on batting and the standards he wants to establish within the squad. “Good batting applies pressure. Great batting owns the game. That’s the standard we want to set at Gujarat Titans.”
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